THERMAL FLOW SENSOR FOR DETERMINING THE TEMPERATURE AND THE FLOW VELOCITY OF A FLOWING MEASURING MEDIUM

Abstract

The invention comprises a thermal flow sensor (1) for determining the temperature and the flow velocity of a flowing measuring medium (210), comprising:a functional element (110) which is configured to determine the temperature of the measuring medium (210) and to influence the temperature of the measuring medium (210); anda control and evaluation unit (120) which is configured to determine the temperature of the measuring medium (210) in a first interval of time by means of the functional element (110) and to determine the flow velocity of the measuring medium (210) in a second interval of time following the first interval of time, and a method for determining the temperature and the flow velocity of the measuring medium (210) by means of the thermal flow sensor (1) according to the invention, and a sensor system comprising such a thermal flow sensor (1) and a further sensor type.

Claims

1. A thermal flow sensor (1) for determining the temperature and the flow velocity of a flowing measuring medium (210), comprising: a functional element (110), which is configured to determine the temperature of the measuring medium (210) and to influence the temperature of the measuring medium (210); and a control and evaluation unit (120), which is configured to ascertain the temperature of the measuring medium (210) in a first time interval by means of the functional element (110) and to ascertain the flow velocity of the measuring medium (210) in a second time interval following the first time interval.

2. The thermal flow sensor (1) according to claim 1, wherein the control and evaluation unit (120) is configured to apply an electrical quantity to the functional element (110) in the second time interval in such a way that the functional element (110) has a measuring temperature that is different from the temperature of the measuring medium (210) by a predetermined difference, and to ascertain the flow velocity of the measuring medium (210) based on the electrical quantity required to reach the measuring temperature of the functional element (110).

3. The thermal flow sensor (1) according to claim 1, wherein the control and evaluation unit (120) is configured to apply, at least intermittently, a defined magnitude of an electrical quantity to the functional element (110) in the second time interval, to detect the temperature of the functional element (110) after the defined magnitude of the electrical quantity has been applied to the functional element (110), and to ascertain the flow velocity of the measuring medium (210) based on the level of the temperature of the functional element (110).

4. The thermal flow sensor (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the control and evaluation unit (120) is a PC or an operating unit.

5. The thermal flow sensor (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control and evaluation unit (120) is an electronic sensor circuit, which comprises a microprocessor (121) or an operational amplifier.

6. The thermal flow sensor (1) according to claim 5, wherein the microprocessor (121) or the operational amplifier is configured to regulate the electrical quantity to be applied to the functional element (110).

7. The thermal flow sensor (1) according to at least one of claims 5 and 6, wherein the electronic sensor circuit comprises a voltage divider (122) or a bridge circuit for determining the resistance value of the functional element (110).

8. The thermal flow sensor (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the functional element (110) is configured so as to have a measuring temperature that, as a result of the application of the electrical quantity, is lower than the ascertained temperature of the measuring medium (210).

9. The thermal flow sensor (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the functional element (110) is configured so as to have a measuring temperature that, as a result of the application of the electrical quantity, is higher than the ascertained temperature of the measuring medium (210).

10. The thermal flow sensor (1) according to claim 9, wherein the functional element (110) is a resistance thermometer which has a defined relationship between the temperature and the resistance value of the resistance thermometer.

11. The thermal flow sensor (1) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the functional element (110) is substantially made of a material having a defined temperature coefficient, especially, platinum, nickel, or polysilicon.

12. The thermal flow sensor (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal flow sensor comprises a carrier element (130) into which the functional element (110) is introduced, the carrier element (130) being in contact with the measuring medium (210).

13. The thermal flow sensor (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermal flow sensor comprises a substrate (140) having a first thermal resistance value, including a surface facing the measuring medium (210) and including a surface facing away from the measuring medium (210).

14. The thermal flow sensor (1) according to claim 13, wherein the functional element (110) is applied to the surface of the substrate (140) facing the measuring medium (210), a passivation layer (141) having a second thermal resistance value being applied to the functional element (110), and the first thermal resistance value of the substrate (140) being essentially greater than the second thermal resistance value of the passivation layer (141) by a factor of at least 10.

15. The thermal flow sensor (1) according to claim 14, wherein a solderable layer (142) is applied to the passivation layer (141), by means of which the sensor element can be attached to the carrier element (130).

16. The thermal flow sensor (1) according to claim 15, wherein the functional element (110) is applied to the surface of the substrate (140) facing away from the measuring medium (210), and a solderable layer (142) being applied to the surface of the substrate (140) facing the measuring medium (210), by means of which the sensor element can be attached to the carrier element (130).

17. A sensor system, comprising a thermal flow sensor (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 17 and at least one further sensor element, wherein the control and evaluation unit (120) is configured so as to activate the thermal flow sensor (1) and the at least one further sensor element, to determine the temperature and the flow velocity of the measuring medium (210) by means of the thermal flow sensor (1), and to determine at least one further physical measurement variable by means of the at least one further sensor element.

18. The sensor system according to claim 17, wherein the further sensor element is a conductivity sensor, the further physical measurement variable being a conductivity value of the measuring medium (210).

19. The sensor system according to claim 17, wherein the further sensor element is a moisture sensor, the further physical measurement variable being a moisture value.

20. A method for determining the temperature and the flow velocity of a measuring medium (210) by means of a thermal flow sensor (1), wherein the thermal flow sensor (1) comprises a functional element (110), which is configured to determine the temperature of the measuring medium (210) and to influence the temperature of the measuring medium (210), and a control and evaluation unit (120), comprising: alternately measuring the temperature of the medium (210) by means of the functional element (110) in a first time interval and determining the flow velocity of the measuring medium (210) in a second time interval following the first time interval.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein an electrical quantity is applied to the functional element (110) in the second time interval in such a way that a predefined difference between the current temperature of the functional element (110) and the temperature of the measuring medium (210) measured in the first interval is achieved, the flow velocity of the measuring medium (210) being determined based on the level of the electrical quantity that is applied to the functional element (110).

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein a defined magnitude of an electrical quantity is applied to the functional element (110) in the second time interval, the temperature of the functional element (110) being measured after the application, and the flow velocity of the measuring medium (210) being determined based on the level of the measured temperature of the functional element (110).

Description

[0046] The invention is explained in greater detail with reference to the following figures. Illustrated are:

[0047] FIG. 1: an exemplary embodiment of a thermal flow sensor according to the invention;

[0048] FIG. 2: an example of an application of a thermal flow sensor according to the invention;

[0049] FIG. 3: a first and a second exemplary embodiment for a functional element used in a thermal flow sensor according to the invention;

[0050] FIG. 4: a first embodiment of a control/evaluation unit for a thermal flow sensor according to the invention; and

[0051] FIG. 5: a second embodiment of a control/evaluation unit for a thermal flow sensor according to the invention.

[0052] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a thermal flow sensor 1 according to the invention. The thermal flow sensor is basically composed of two components.

[0053] The first component of the thermal flow sensor 1 is a functional element 110. This functional element 110 is introduced into the interior of a carrier element 130, in the form of a small tube, and is applied to the closed bottom of the small tube 130. Embodiments of the small tube are explained in more detail in FIGS. 3a and 3b.

[0054] The second component of the thermal flow sensor 1 is a control and evaluation unit 120. In the present example, this is configured as an electronics unit on a circuit board, is electrically contacted with the functional element 110 by means of one or more cables or wires 160 and is arranged at a distance from the functional element 110. Exemplary embodiments of the function and the electrical circuit of the control and evaluation unit are explained in more detail in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0055] The thermal flow sensor 1 furthermore comprises a process connection 150 to which the small tube 130 and the circuit board of the control and evaluation unit 110 are attached. By means of the thread of the process connection 150, the thermal flow sensor can be introduced into an opening of a pipe 2, through which a measuring medium 210 flows, and can be fixed to the pipe 2. The measuring medium 210 is, especially, a gaseous ora liquid medium.

[0056] FIG. 2 shows an example of an application of such a thermal flow sensor 1 according to the invention. As described above, the thermal flow sensor 1 is introduced into the pipe 2 and fixed to a wall thereof. The measuring medium 210 flows through the pipe 2 in the flow direction {right arrow over (v)}. The thermal flow sensor 1 is introduced into the pipe 2 so as to project into the interior of the pipe 2 perpendicularly to the flow direction {right arrow over (v)}. The functional element 110 is shielded from the measuring medium 210 by the small tube 130, which is in contact with the measuring medium 210. The functional element 110 is configured and attached to the bottom of the small tube 130 in such a way that sufficiently good heat transfer between the functional element 110 and the measuring medium 210 is ensured for the operation of the thermal flow sensor 1.

[0057] FIG. 3a shows a first embodiment of a functional element 110 of the thermal flow sensor 1 which is attached to the pipe 2. The functional element 110 is applied onto a substrate 140. The functional element itself is covered by a passivation layer 141.

[0058] The functional element 110 is a layer of a material having a defined temperature coefficient of the electrical resistance, which is dissimilar from zero. Depending on the temperature coefficient of the material used, the functional element 110 thus forms a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistor or a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor. Especially, the functional element 110 is made of a metallic material, especially, platinum, nickel, or copper, or of a polycrystalline or doped semiconductor material, especially, silicon, germanium or gallium arsenide.

[0059] The functional element 110 is used to determine the temperature of the measuring medium 210 by determining the temperature-dependent resistance value of the functional element 110. The functional element is also designed to generate Joule heat, which is emitted to the measuring medium 210, when subjected to an electrical quantity.

[0060] The surface of the substrate 140 facing the measuring medium 210 is attached to the small tube 130 by means of a solder layer 142.

[0061] By selecting suitable materials for the substrate 140, for example aluminum nitride, which has very high thermal conductivity, a low Biot number is achieved between the functional element 110 and the measuring medium 210. By reducing the layer thickness of the substrate 140, a Biot number <0.1 can be achieved, which means almost optimal transfer of heat from the functional element 110 to the measuring medium 210, or vice versa.

[0062] FIG. 3b shows a first embodiment of a functional element 110 of the thermal flow sensor 1 attached to the pipe 2.

[0063] The substrate 140 is made of zirconium oxide having a layer thickness of approximately 150 m. This has relatively low thermal conductivity.

[0064] In this example, the functional element 110 is applied to the surface of the substrate 140 facing the measuring medium 210. In this example as well, the functional element 110 is a layer made of a material having a defined temperature coefficient of the electrical resistance which is dissimilar from zero. Depending on the temperature coefficient of the material used, the functional element 110 thus forms a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistor or a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor. Especially, the functional element 110 is made of a metallic material, especially, platinum, nickel, or copper, or of a polycrystalline or doped semiconductor material, especially, silicon, germanium or gallium arsenide.

[0065] A passivation layer 141 is applied onto the functional element 110. In this exemplary embodiment, the passivation layer 141 is made of A1.sub.2O.sub.3 and has a layer thickness of approximately 3 m. The passivation layer 141 has a considerably lower thermal resistance value, especially, smaller by at least a factor of 10, than the substrate 140. This ensures that a heat flow is directed from the functional element 110 to the measuring medium 210, or from the measuring medium 210 to the functional element 110, and as little heat as possible is lost through the substrate 140.

[0066] The passivation layer 141 is configured in such a way that a solderable layer 142 can be applied thereto, and the substrate 140 with the functional element 110 is attached to the small tube 130 by means of this solderable layer 142. This results in a further reduction of the Biot number since the solderable layer 142 on the passivation layer 141 is in direct contact with the small tube 130.

[0067] This embodiment has a Biot number of less than 1 and therefore allows good thermal conduction from the functional element 110 to the measuring medium 210, and vice versa.

[0068] One or more vias 143 can be provided in the side of the substrate 140 facing away from the measuring medium 210. The wires 160 thereby contact the functional element 110 from the side of the substrate 140 located opposite the functional element 110. If the contact surface of the functional element 110 including the small tube 130 is larger, greater heat transfer arises, with the chip dimensioning remaining the same, or the dimensioning of the functional element 110 is reduced, with the contact surface remaining the same.

[0069] Alternatively to the functional element 110 being applied to the substrate 140 as a thin layer or thick layer, the functional element can also be a finished component, for example a PT50 to PT200 resistance thermometer, which is applied to the bottom of the small tube 130, for example by way of soldering.

[0070] FIG. 4 shows a first embodiment of an electronic circuit of a control/evaluation unit 120 for a thermal flow sensor 1 according to the invention. The control and evaluation unit 120 is used to operate the thermal flow sensor 1 in a clocked manner in two time intervals which alternate. In a first time interval, the temperature of the measuring medium 210 is determined; in a second time interval, the flow velocity of the measuring medium 210 is determined.

[0071] The two time intervals are controlled by a microprocessor 121. In the first time interval, the microprocessor 121 calculates the temperature of the measuring medium 210. For this purpose, the microprocessor ascertains the current resistance value of functional element 110. The functional element 110 is connected in series with a series resistor 124 and forms a voltage divider 122 therewith. The current value of the resistance of the functional element 110 changes as a function of the temperature of the measuring medium 210. The microprocessor 121 determines the resistance value based on the voltage dropping across the functional element 110 and the current flowing in the voltage divider 122, which is calculated from the known resistance value of the series resistor 124 and the voltage value dropping across the series resistor 124. For this purpose, the microprocessor 121 comprises an integrated analog-to-digital converter including two inputs 125, 126: an input 126 for the voltage dropping across the entire voltage divider, and an input 125 for the voltage dropping across the functional element 110. To measure the temperature of the measuring medium 210, the voltage divider is only subjected to a low voltage value, for example in the range of 0.1 to 1.0 V. The analog-to-digital converter can alternatively be configured as an external element, which is connected to the microprocessor 121.

[0072] After determining the temperature of the measuring medium 210 in the first time interval, the flow velocity of the measuring medium 210 is determined in the second time interval. Two different methods can be applied in the process:

[0073] In a first variant, an electrical quantity is applied to the functional element 110 in such a way that a predefined difference between the current temperature of the functional element 110 and the temperature of the measuring medium 210 measured in the first interval is achieved. The flow velocity of the measuring medium 210 is then determined based on the level of the electrical quantity applied to the functional element, which corresponds to the constant temperature anemometry (CTA) control type. For this purpose, the control and evaluation unit 120 requires the current temperature of the measuring medium 210, which was determined in the first time interval.

[0074] Specifically, an electrical quantity, especially, a voltage, is applied to the functional element 110 in the second time interval. The level of the voltage is established by an output 127 of a digital-to-analog converter implemented in the microprocessor. The voltage value output by the output 127 is amplified by an amplification element 123. At the same time, the current temperature of the functional element is determined by means of the voltage values currently dropping across the inputs 125, 126. If the current temperature does not correspond to the magnitude of the difference compared to the temperature of the measuring medium 210, the microprocessor changes the level of the voltage until the predetermined difference is reached.

[0075] In a second variant, a defined magnitude of an electrical quantity is at least intermittently applied to the functional element 110. After the defined electric power has been applied to the functional element 110, the temperature of the functional element 110 is detected in the known manner. The flow velocity of the measuring medium is subsequently ascertained by the microprocessor 121 based on the level of the temperature of the functional element 110.

[0076] FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of an electronic circuit of a control/evaluation unit 121 for a thermal flow sensor according to the invention.

[0077] This electrical circuit differs from the electrical circuit shown in FIG. 4 in that it does not comprise an external control element 123. The control element is implemented as application software in the microprocessor 121. The microprocessor 121 likewise comprises the two inputs 125, 126 described in FIG. 4. In this exemplary embodiment, the series resistor 124 is connected between the functional element and ground GND and is therefore, strictly speaking, not a series resistor. A switching element 128, which is connected to ground GND, is connected in parallel to the functional element 110. The switching element 128 is connected to the output 127 of a pulse width regulator of the microprocessor 121 and closes with each outgoing pulse. The frequency of the pulses in the second time interval is, for example, in a range of 1 kHz to 2 kHz.

[0078] The temperature of the measuring medium 210 is calculated in a manner analogous to that described for FIG. 4. The switching element is open in the process. The voltage VCC present at the voltage divider 122 is low, for example in a range of 0.1 to 1.0 V.

[0079] The flow velocity of the measuring medium is calculated in a manner analogous to that described for FIG. 4. Both methods can also be used here. The voltage VCC present at the voltage divider 122 is increased, for example to a range of 4.8 to 5 V. The level of the incoming power is determined in this case by way of the duty cycle of the pulses. If more pulses are applied to the functional element 110 in the same time, the heat generated by the functional element 110 increases.

[0080] The flow sensor 1 according to the invention has a number of advantages: By using only one functional element 110, the space requirement of the thermal flow sensor 1 according to the invention is reduced compared with a flow sensor that is known from the prior art and uses two functional elements. The manufacturing costs for such a thermal flow sensor 1 according to the invention are also reduced.

[0081] The flow sensor 1 according to the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 5. For example, it can be provided that the control and evaluation unit is formed by a PC or an operating unit and is not attached to the actual housing of the thermal flow sensor 1.

[0082] Alternatively, it can also be provided that the functional element 110 or the substrate 140 with the applied functional element 110 is in direct contact with the measuring medium 210 and is not introduced into a carrier element 130. The functional element 110 or the substrate 140 with the applied functional element 110 can alternatively also be applied to a wall of the pipe 2. It can also be provided that the functional element 110 is not used for heating the measuring medium 210, but for (temporarily) cooling the measuring medium 110. In such a case, the functional element is configured as a Peltier element, for example. The circuit of the control and evaluation unit 120 remains virtually identical in this case.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0083] Thermal flow sensor

[0084] 110 Functional element

[0085] 120 Control and evaluation unit

[0086] 121 Microprocessor

[0087] 122 Voltage divider

[0088] 123 Amplification element

[0089] 124 Series resistor

[0090] 125, 126 Inputs of the microprocessor

[0091] 127 Output of microprocessor

[0092] 128 Switching element

[0093] 130 Carrier element

[0094] 140 Substrate

[0095] 141 Passivation layer

[0096] 142 Solderable layer

[0097] 143 Via

[0098] 150 Process connection

[0099] 160 Wires

[0100] 2 Pipe

[0101] 210 Measuring medium

[0102] GND Ground

[0103] VCC Operating voltage

[0104] {right arrow over (v)} Flow direction of the measuring medium